Description
This Blooming Chicken Quesadilla Ring is a festive and delicious appetizer perfect for parties or family gatherings. Featuring layers of tender shredded chicken mixed with sautéed peppers and onions, cream cheese, and a blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, all wrapped in flour tortillas baked to crispy perfection. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green, orange, or a mix), sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
Dairy
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (1 brick, 250 grams)
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese + ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese + ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Proteins
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie or homemade)
Others
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1½ tbsp taco seasoning
- 12 medium flour tortillas (10–12 inches), sliced in half
- Cooking spray
- Salsa, for serving
- Guacamole, for serving
- Sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃) and line a large baking sheet or pizza tray with parchment paper or grease foil to prevent sticking during baking.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and bell peppers and sauté until softened and golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Prepare chicken filling: In a large bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, sour cream, lime juice, shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, and taco seasoning. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well combined.
- Combine filling ingredients: Add the shredded cooked chicken and the cooled sautéed onions and peppers to the cheese mixture. Gently stir until everything is evenly incorporated. Set aside.
- Prepare tortillas: Slice each of the 12 medium flour tortillas in half to create 24 halves.
- Fill tortillas: Evenly divide the chicken filling among the tortilla halves, using about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons per half. Spread the filling, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Roll tortillas: Carefully roll each filled tortilla half into a cone shape, ensuring the filling stays inside by rolling tightly but gently to prevent squeezing out the filling.
- Arrange base layer: Place a small round bowl in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Arrange half of the rolled cones around the bowl with the pointed ends touching the bowl to form a circular base.
- Add cheese to base layer: Sprinkle half of the reserved cheddar and mozzarella cheese evenly over this base layer of cones.
- Add top layer: Arrange the remaining cones on top of the base layer to form a second ring, then sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese over these cones. Remove the bowl carefully.
- Prepare for baking: Spray the edges of the tortillas with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil to help crisp the edges during baking.
- Bake: Place the quesadilla ring on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla edges are golden and crispy.
- Garnish and serve: Carefully transfer the quesadilla ring to a serving platter. Garnish with the thinly sliced green onions if desired.
- Serve with dips: Place a bowl of salsa inside the center of the ring and serve alongside bowls of sour cream and guacamole for dipping. Enjoy this warm, cheesy ring with your favorite dips!
Notes
- You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream to lighten the recipe.
- Shredded rotisserie chicken works great for convenience but cooked homemade shredded chicken also works well.
- Feel free to customize the bell pepper colors based on your preference or availability.
- If you prefer a spicier ring, add diced jalapeños to the filling mixture.
- Use cooking spray or brush oil on tortillas to achieve the best crispy texture.
- Serve immediately for best texture; leftovers can be reheated in the oven to refresh crispiness.
